This invention concerns a nailing machine for use in the manufacture of wooden pallets. Wooden pallets are widely used for a variety of load-bearing purposes especially where goods are to be handled by means of a fork-lift truck. One widely used type of pallet is the so-called "American" type which comprises a top deck on which goods to be handled are placed, a bottom deck, and stringers which separate the two decks and provide access between the two decks for the forks of a fork-lift truck. The top deck comprises boards extending parallel to one another transversely of the stringers and the bottom deck is similarly constructed.
At present, pallets of the American type are generally manufactured by locating the stringers with the boards to form one of the decks on top of them, feeding these boards and stringers to a nailing station of a first nailing machine, operating the first nailing machine to nail the boards to the stringers, feeding the partially-completed pallet to an inverting machine which inverts it to bring the stringers uppermost, locating boards to form the other deck on top of the stringers, feeding the partially-completed pallet to a nailing station of a second nailing machine, and operating the second nailing machine to nailing the boards to form the other deck to the stringers thereby completing the pallet. This method of manufacture involves two nailing machines, an inverting machine and feeders and, therefore, involves considerable costs in machinery and floor space.